Powerful Graffiti, Amazing Murals and Sexy Street Art showcases today’s Medellin

November 15, 2014November 27, 2014 Michael Scott Novilla Leave a comment

Today, Saturday November 15, 2014 brings to me three words of beauty. No Mas Lluvia!. No more rain. I was up early with every intention to work for a few hours, exercise a bit then take a taxi down to the Museo de Arte Moderno, and spend a few hours enjoying Modern Art here in Medellin. I double checked with the gods of Google, and yup, the gallery is open today until 5:00 pm. Muy Bien. So I NYC whistle down a passing taxi, yes I’ve got a world-class whistle, and we are off to the Museo, about a brisk 20 minute ride.

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Medellin sans Adrian Grenier and his Entourage

November 15, 2014November 17, 2014 Michael Scott Novilla Leave a comment

I arrived in Medellin, Colombia on a Thursday afternoon, November 13, 2014 to be exact. Rain falling from the sky onto a beautiful green countryside. Many of my friends, amigos, were wondering why I’d pick a city in a country known historically for violence and kidnappings. Well, I’m on my way to a wedding in Buenos Aires, yes a wedding, I know, I throw weddings every week here at my venue NOVA 535 Unique Event Space in downtown St. Pete for a living. One more wedding, really? On your vacation Mike? Si. See the fact is that my best pal Drew Edwards, fellow world traveler extraordinaire, is the kind of guy, if you’re smart, and I try to be, you listen to what he has to say. If Drew says, “Mike come down to a wedding in Argentina during Thanksgiving” then I do whatever I can to get down there. Hence my blogging from here in Poblado, Medellin, Columbia.

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Tony-Michaelides-Bay-News-9-Sept-25-2014

Tony Michaelides – The Lessons Learned from Rock n Roll

September 25, 2014February 2, 2015 Michael Scott Novilla Leave a comment

The backstage story is that, back in 2011, this chap, oozing the stereotypical Brit charm, wit and accent strolls into the Entrepreneur Social Club one Thursday evening. Tony Michaelides is his name and the one thing everyone learns really quickly, is that Tony is a master storyteller. The rare kind of stories that you never try to escape from, nor the usual kind you feign interest in, and certainly not the ones that leave you bored to tears. Tony has spent the last several decades among the coolest of the cool, within the inner sanctum of the Rock and Roll world, and has lived to tell those tales. And tell them well he does. Tony and I, we quickly became pals.

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Is Portland the great city I was expecting?

July 7, 2014February 13, 2016 Michael Scott Novilla Leave a comment

I had just a long weekend left available to conclude my Northwestern Adventure. Started in Calgary for the Sled Island Festival (read my Calgary blog- wow), 3 weeks ago, then roamed for about 2 weeks throughout Alaska (read my Alaska Blog – breathtaking) a bucket lister, for sure. I asked my pal and guru Drew Edwards to suggest a final nearby city to explore. Seattle and Portland are the two regional heavyweights, since Vancouver has already been plundered. (VC is great!) Seattle projects a cool image but, head to head, Drew says go visit Portland. Drew’s the smartest guy I know, nicknamed T$. So I buy my tickets and make my way south.

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Alaskian Railroad from Anchorage to Whittier

Glaciers, Grizzlies and Gold – Welcome to Alaska

June 29, 2014May 28, 2016 Michael Scott Novilla Leave a comment

MONDAY – TUESDAY JUNE 23 -24 2014: Anchorage

About 24 hours ago I decided to leave Calgary, parting from my best pal Drew Edwards as he made his way southwest to Bellingham to spend time with his brother Frank. Uncle Frank, now that’s another story for another day. Ask me sometimes about R-9 scallops and Grande Marnier at 11 am in Whistler….. Anyhoo, my path leads me northwest, heading further into the wild tundra called Alaska. The Sled Island Festival, held every June in Calgary, just wrapped for 2014, so now it’s time to ramble on. [Check out my blog about Calgary’s Sled Island Festival 2014]

So Welcome to Alaska. It’s cold, there are bears, gold and glaciers. That’s about all I know, except this will be the just the kind of adventure I’ve been yearning for. So after a good “night’s” rest at a delightful B n B out on Goose Lake, owned by an equally delightful Susan. There are really nice people renting out their homes and apartments to be found on AirBnB. (“Night’s” because It’s never really dark here in Alaska during the summers…odd at first but it’s growing on me). So I catch the early morning train towards…

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2014 06-16 Head Art looking up a Bow Tower Calgary

Music, Comedy and Model Milk – Welcome to Calgary’s Sled Island Festival

June 20, 2014August 25, 2016 Michael Scott Novilla Leave a comment

When my vacation opportunity door opens, I quickly scramble to find somewhere to escape to. Running a 5 Star wedding and event venue, NOVA 535 Unique Event Space, means that every client and guest experience is critical. Just a bit of pressure. So with only a week or two available to roam, I touch base with my best pal Drew Edwards to collaborate. Drew, among other things, is President of Comedian Ron White’s business empire, and is always up for an adventure. He adds “check out their festivals” to my suggestion of visiting Canada. Stampede, Calgary’s most famous, isn’t until July…so

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2014 05-22 ESC offsite for St. Pete MURAL TOUR

ESC takes the St. Pete Mural Tour

May 24, 2014May 28, 2016 Michael Scott Novilla Leave a comment

Every Thursday the ESC, aka Entrepreneur Social Club gathers, mostly at NOVA 535 Unique Event Space, though today, May 22, 2014, NOVA 535 was booked for another fabulous wedding.

The ESC is my gift to the community and the meetings are free to attend. NOVA 535 has bills to pay, and does so by hosting world-class wedding and events. (My pitch =D) So it’s up to me, Michael S. Novilla, the founder and leader of the ESC, to find another location. Sheri Kendrick, owner of (more…)

While riding my bike downtown St. Pete, I discovered Paris London Tokyo

May 12, 2014February 13, 2016 Michael Scott Novilla Leave a comment

While riding my bike downtown St. Pete, I discovered Paris London Tokyo..

I spend a lot of time pedaling my 7-speed “Townie” around downtown St. Pete. A major part part of the charm and excitement of it, aside from the obvious time away from being in front of this computer screen, is the certainty that I’ll always discover something new.

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Stellie Bellies – The Big Picture’s Smallest Details

April 30, 2014August 25, 2016 Michael Scott Novilla Leave a comment

She’s baaaack! Stella Myers, founder of Stellie Bellies Kiddie and Maternity Resale Boutique, is back in the stores. Ok, okay, truthfully she was never really gone; she has been in the background focusing her time on the big picture of expanding her business, by branching out into franchise locations. She, along her husband and partner Mike Myers, added their first franchise this February in Trinity, FL to the family of stores in St Petersburg and Palm Harbor. And now, just like the families her stores serve, she is delighted to walk through the front doors again to share time with store employees and customers.

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